GAIL's Bakery Wanstead in Redbridge

Wanted to grab a quick snack and drink. Sev was absolutely brilliant, she had my teenage son grinning which in itself is a miracle! Customer service was great with her and I needed it after a hectic day. Fab service and the barista Ahmed, made the coffee spot on. I only know their names because I asked!

I recently had a fantastic experience at Gail’s Wanstead branch, thanks to the outstanding service provided by Sven. When I called to check if they had focaccia bread in stock, she greeted me warmly over the phone with a happy and bubbly tone. She went the extra mile to check with the kitchen and offered to set some aside for us. Upon arriving at the store, I was met by Sven in person, who was incredibly helpful and attentive. She even offered us hot chocolate on such a chilly day, which was a lovely touch. Sven is a true asset to your company—her friendly, customer-focused approach made our visit truly memorable.

Excellent food, brilliant service and most importantly, reasonably priced. The wife and I will certainly be going back to the establishment. It was brilliant.

I have never been to a Gail’s bakery before until my visit to one yesterday 16/5/24. I spontaneously choose to have some lunch in the Wanstead high street Gail’s bakery in E 11 The first thing I noticed when entering the shop was a fair selection of sweet treats bread and savoury rolls & wraps. I was served fairly quickly and the staff pleasant enough. I ordered what I wanted to eat and drink. i was quite shocked at how expensive it was .. my roll and sweet pastry were plated and given to me on what I could only describe as a very worn out metal tray that looked like it had seen better days .. I carried my food over to a table which hadn’t been cleared from the previous customer. There was no staff around to ask to do this for me . so I tidied the table the best I could and then went back to the counter to collect my pot of tea, once seated, I noticed that the teacup with no saucer, and the little pot containing milk for my tea was dirty and stained, as was the teaspoon I was given. not what I expected at all. and considering the prices of food and drinks from GAIL’s Bakery, I was shocked.. my roll I half ate, and the pastry was most probably the best thing about my lunch choice. the tea,( breakfast tea) was awful looked like dish water and had absolutely no flavour.. hence to say, after one sip I didn’t drink it.. my GAILS BAKERY experience was not only expensive it was a total waste of my money. Very disappointed!!!! My advice.. Avoid 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

What wonderful soup and hot chocolate and coffee and handsome waiter(black hair, beautiful eyes,it all helps)He rescued me from a man who told me as I was well dressed I thought I was better than everyone else in the café!!!

A big thank you to the most lovely lady in Gail’s Wanstead you kindly gifted me a whole box of minc pies! 🎄a delightful and complete surprise!! Thank you so very much and a very Happy Christmas and New Year!

Too pricey plus poor customer service. I have been a few times. Gails has become unhelpful and rushy. Go and support local business elsewhere, better for the planet 100% Honest.

We had breakfast here a couple of times while staying at the nearby Travelodge. The ladies serving were lovely, welcoming and chatty. Their house blend makes an excellent coffee. Breakfast menu is small but enough choice to satisfy almost everyone. It was very popular with the locals, which is always a great sign. An excellent experience!

It looks as if Gail’s at Wanstead has moved into a recently vacated shop without doing much cleaning or decorating. The main area does look as if it’s been plastered but certainly not painted. The ground floor side seating area is a disgrace; dirty, greasy, finger marks everywhere and you can smell the toilet. This is quite disgusting and for the prices they charge completely unacceptable.

7 of us enjoyed a breakfast trip here! 5 adults had a pastry and a large coffee and the kids had a pastry a gingerbread and a fruit juice all for £50. Reasonable price, friendly staff and clean eating area!

Go there every day. The coffee in my opinion is the best in wanstead. The croissants are delicious and the service is friendly.

I could never get a fresh filter coffee in this bakery, somehow not hot and I believe brewed long time ago and never checked. Disappointment! Pricey as well!

I go to Gail’s in soho a lot and really enjoy the food and the service. I was so disappointed going to the Wanstead branch. The customer service is the rudest I have ever experienced in a cafe. The younger boy making the coffee was unbelievably unpleasant, refused to pass me a spoon as I needed to ask the staff serving the food for one. I explained I was on crutches and moving about is difficult and he tutted at me, reached behind him and passed me one. Apparently that was too difficult to begin with. Really let down by Gails, particularly their treatment of people with mobility issues!

Despite past disappointments, I returned in hope that the quality had improved. Unfortunately, standards had declined further. The pastry must have been in the open-air for hours - it was very dry - very stale. The flat white I also ordered had little or no coffee taste - might as well have been hot milk. My experience was not unique. The couple on the table beside me also said that their cakes were also stale. In short, a rip-off.

Gails have a really tasty and unique variety of foods. I especially enjoyed their smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, and I had their hazelnut and chocolate bun this morning for breakfast. It is pricey, so for us a treat. Unfortunately the locals go a bit too far with the middle class "village mentality", and seem to forget we're in London, a city of tolerance and inclusion. Gails appears to be an essential weekly ritual for them- everyone who's everyone needs to be seen there. You'll have to fight off the rude yummy mummies, Sweaty Betty-clad Saturday joggers and aggressive families with their little Tarquins to get a table on a weekend. Get there early, as all the good stuff sells out quickly as such. Noted the reviews about poor service. The staff were short, but I find standing in queue with the demanding locals stressful enough, I couldn't do an 8hr shift! Also noted all staff wearing face coverings but only us and 2 other customers were wearing one today- shows the level of respect locals have for the staff. What you give is what you get.

The foods good, although you can't get anything heated any more, no reason except "we don't heat food" - maybe a sign saying 'why not' or educate the staff - but the customer service is awful: you have to repeat yourself several times and even though you say "2 black americanos please" what comes back is "so that's 2 cappuccinos" - and this isn't just a one off, it happens consistently - clearly the staff do not want to be there: it looks like it being run on a shoe string ! - if the coffee was better I would go to Greggs as there's not much difference:

Nice food but goodness is it difficult to get served. We went off peak at 10:30 am and the coffee queue was 12 deep because they couldn’t process them quickly enough. They do not take coffee to your table if you eat in which makes it worse. Our order was wrong. Customers were visibly frustrated. The service needs fixing. In terms of the product, food is very good. Coffee is bland, expensive and poor. In November 2021, why are the majority of staff here not wearing masks? Counter produce is properly covered but loaves of bread are not and I would be concerned regarding hygiene. Please put loaves in bags as you did earlier in the epidemic. This could be a really good restaurant if they organised it properly but as it is, I am always frustrated.

Once upon a time Gails was a good story unfortunately now it’s a bit sad.... staff are just not welcoming at all. The baristas seems untrained and served Luke warm coffees!!! The prices are ridiculous compared to other shops next door and perhaps due to the sale nobody’s been paying attention to all that matters for these high street brands- the customer! I wish there were more artisan independent coffee houses.

I have read the previous reviews commenting on the bad service and have myself experienced it... BUT: I was in Gail's today and the two lovely girls working this morning couldn't have been nicer and smilier! And I left with a smile as well. Love the bread, have never eaten in so can't comment on that but it seems the feedback was taken on board.

A big fan of Gail's for years, having visited many branches Dulwich, Blackheath and Ealing to name a few. Good quality food and customer service making the premium price justifiable. Was in Wanstead today and was pleasantly surprised to see Gail's and decided to grab a coffee and bite to eat. Looked the same from the outside but... This is a shabby outfit inside. Unpainted walls. No greeting and no enforcing of Covid compliance in terms of mask wearing. We've not reached 19th July yet but staff seemed unconcerned. The food selection was poor given this was only mid afternoon. The three staff very matter of factish. Warm they were not. Afraid when paying a premium for what though tasty is not exceptional fare I'd expect customer service to be top notch. This was anything but. Many coffee houses on this stretch. On coming out I saw Gregg's and thought we could have had a feast and a smile for what we paid in Gail's. Will be a while before we venture to Gail's again. This sadly left a sour taste.

Love their cakes, but couldn't afford to have them on a regular basis. The sourdough is great but the crust is very hard work to slice, so ask them to slice it for you.

SERVICE without smile!! Guys, read the reviews and for God’s sake, take action. Your team are really demotivated or not getting paid right or manager is a real pain as I have not seen any smile or even decent hello for last 7 times in...

I've been putting off writing this review as I keep hoping that the next time I return here, it will be a better experience and maybe the waitress was just having an off day. But, it is consistently bad service so now I have to...

Too many customers being allowed in without masks which can contaminate the food! Avoid at all costs!!!

Recently went here with my friend on a rainy day for a catch up, luckily there is plenty of tables indoors. I had both a chai latte which was excellent and a nice latte. Myself and my friend also each had a milk chocolate cookie,...

I've always like Gail's coffee, and this venue is a nice one. However, I will not go there again until this coronavirus pandemic is over, due to the blatant disregard for public health. I went there yesterday and there were half a dozen employees in...

I really enjoyed my visit in Gail’s cafe. I visited on Saturday evening. Staff very friendly and efficient. Good coffee and pastries.

Gail’s on Wanstead high street is really an overpriced bakery. £6.50 for a hot chocolate and cake. If you brought the kids that would be another expense. I don’t understand why they can’t have one price for eating in or out. Depending on the cakes...

I want to love Gail's, the pastries and food are really good, and it's nice to have a place to have breakfast. However, the last three times I have had to ask for clean cutlery and once the waiter even argued whether he thought it...

Went to Gails for the first time today. Very very icy girl at the till (brown hair in a ponytail). Didn’t crack a smile or a hello. Spoke to us in a very cold manner- impatient (there was no queue of people to serve). Really...

This was my second visit to this lovely café/restaurant as we don’t live locally, we live in Hertfordshire. On both occasions, one being today, the lunch was light & delicious. Compliments to the chef. The coffee was the best I’ve had, made with alternative to...

Two small,and I mean small,cakes,a single espresso and small cappuccino came to £12.90.The girl with the glasses and ponytail was positively icy in manner.A warmer welcome may have made us overlook the vastly overpriced refreshments.

We’ve popped into here a few times now when in the area, the cake quality is great but the display facilities leave a lot to be desired.. anything and everything can spread across your lovely display of wares. I won’t be back after watching the...

Best breakfast In Wanstead. Gail’s always amaze us with the food menu and good service. Had amazing fried egg and mushroom on toast. Can’t thank enough. Will visit soon👻

I decided to take my husband here for a birthday morning treat but shouldn't have bothered. We ordered a hot breakfast, 2 coffees and 2 cakes. After 15 minutes the hot food arrived, no drinks or cakes. We waited another 15 minutes before asking someone...

Nice place to have breakfast/brunch. Delicious food and hot drinks ! Although, the waiters seem a bit lost with the orders, but all goes back to order in the end.

Despite living 2 minutes away I've only been to Gail's twice. Both times within the last month and both times they got a basic order wrong. First occasion I ordered a bacon roll but asked for a granary roll not a brioche, a brioche arrived...

Popped in on a Tuesday for lunch. At this time it wasn't too busy and it had a relaxing vibe. All the sweet treats looked amazing but I settled for a hot chocolate (made with oat milk but i'm told you can request soya if...

This branch of Gail’s hadn’t quite found its rhythm. The service is usually friendly but almost always chaotic. We joke that you never actually get what you order in here. Coffees never quite match your request and food can take forever to arrive. Despite being...

Conversation at the till today... Me- Hi. We’d like these two scones please with jam and clotted cream (handing her the two scones from the display). Server- Great. Any drinks? Me- Yes, two americanos please. Server- Ok, no problem. (I pay etc) Server- Take this...

I have been coming to Gail's since the opened in the High Street. The bread is very good, but this time I came for a coffee and some treats with some friends. Coffees were fine but some of them had been spilt a little bit...

I visited Gail's bakery this afternoon in desperate need for something sweet and tasty. However, I witnessed to my dismay that that the cakes and treats are all uncovered! People talk over the food, stretch over it, laugh over it etc. I left without purchasing...

I've been going to Gails for 7 years and ordering pretty much the same items. In the last year or two I've noticed a distinct decline in food quality. Suspect that incremental cost-cutting is now negatively affecting the customer experience - certainly it's negatively affecting...

Full of mother’s and babies. Place taken over by them. Difficult to get to the one loo because of this. Also quite dirty with inattentive staff. And overpriced we thought.

Nice and cool inside on a very hot day. Very friendly staff & good coffee, will be returning. Looking forward to trying the food.

Really welcome addition to Wanstead high street. Food is great if not a little pricey. However the quality is top notch and the space upstairs is second to none if you want to escape and get some work done. Family friendly too with good facilities...

Gails bakery serves some of the loveliest food and delicious coffee I have ever had and the environment and the service are top-notch. You won’t be disappointed!

I smell a rat! All glowing 5 star reports, come from single entries (T A posters) and collected by management. So here is an unbiased report, from an objective customer Coffee, quality, generally needs to be warmer. Service, is hit & miss Food, top end...

One of the best place I have been, extremely amazing service and well attentive staff 🙏🏼 Huge choice of breads and scrumptious Scones 😋. Very well managed outlet. Will visit soon.

We enjoyed a soya latte and a scrumptious cake each. Both were delightful and served by staff who have a smile and really engage. The manager is rock solid also and very approachable.

Consistent quality, light meals ,limited but good choice. Moderate value for money, with patisserie bordering on extortionate but nevertheless delicious. Lovely setting

I like Gail's. They have a wonderful selection of bread and other bakes that you just won't find rivalled for miles around. Their sourdoughs are their signature and worth the cost, you wont find anything to rival that unless you head out to eat17 or...

Dropped in for quick breakfast , an enjoyable experience . I had scrambled eggs on toast and a latte both of which were of a good standard .

I only went here to use the free WiFi lol but the staff didn't kick me out so that was cool thanks guys

I'm a Wanstead resident and regularly go into Gail's on the High Street. The food and drinks are of a high quality but the prices are very high - shoulders above what you'd pay anywhere else on our lovely High Street. The staff always seem...

The food is mostly good but can be a bit dry. Very hit or miss depending on your visit. It can be very crowded at times. The hot chocolate is very good BUT they almost always run out after 2PM. The rest of the food...

When I ask for a flat white coffee I don't expect to be given an Americano with milk. I certainly don't expect to be argued with when I point out the error! The staff at Gail's Wanstead are not the friendliest people. The prices are...

My friends and I have had many nice coffees and cakes at Gail's. It is difficult to choose from all their delicious cakes/pastries. Nice seating area outside.

Fabulous array of cakes and breads upon entering the bakery. But so disorganised and slow. 5 of us ordered and paid for our drinks and food, then you are given a table number and told to find seating. Our number was 10 which was clearly...

Met a colleague here for an early breakfast meeting. Took a couple of attempts to ensure my order was correct and it took a while to arrive despite the place being very quiet at that time. But it was worth the wait - the food...

We ordered two meals, one good but the other didn’t arrive at all. The pastries are good but not kept behind glass which is also the case with the bread.

We took some friends here for a quick lunch. My friends had to get a refund because they waited so long for it. My panini didn’t have enough filling in it and when we complained we were then served one just the same. The staff...

I agree with a lot of the reviews on here, the food is actually pretty good but the service and organisation is appalling. On our visit they actually had no coffee except decaf - this is like a pub running out of beer. I mean,...

Does anyone from Gail’s head office ever visit this branch? It’s a real shambles. Baked goods are great. But service is slow, coffee is cold, staff are stressed and tables are dirty. Used to come on a weekly basis but there’s many more independent coffee...

Tables were all dirty (patrons cleaning them when they sit down), floor was very dirty, toilet was dirty too. Coffee and cake was nice but overall experience wasn’t very nice. We’re local but we won’t be back.

As I can see, other reviewers have experienced the same things I have every time I go to Gail's. That is: -slow service with long waiting times both for food and drinks -stressed workers that are not very friendly -lukewarm coffee when it finally reaches...

Once again poor service .. they never get an order right .. we have persevered eating here as the savoury pastries are great and we can sit outside with the dog but enough is enough .. again today despite asking when we ordered for hot...

Not sure what all the fuss is about this place. Yes they do a large range of bread and cakes, but there are other places in Wanstead where you can get these. However, the place is always packed. Coffee I feel is mediocre, cakes better...

Just checking through the photos from Gail's Bakery in Wanstead High Street, and there is a bluebottle on one of the cakes

Nothing particularly outstanding about Gails. Pricey staff not that engaging.. Pretty average. Nowhere near as good as other establishments in wanstead. On a positive note the location on corner of road. The tables an chairs to sit outside.

The bread, multiple types, is delicious but expensive. Coffee is good just not hot enough sometimes. Staff are usually friendly. Gail's is very popular with Mums and babies.

We popped in for a coffee and snack. The queue was very long but we eventually got served and found a table. This place operates a very strange method of service. Customers queue up, order and pay, and are given a number to place on...

We popped in for coffee and croissants for breakfast this morning. There were no almond croissants left and it was well before 10am. So we ordered a cold cheese scone and a cinnamon bun. Ordering took forever as there seemed to be another new member...

Visited Gail's bakery on Monday at 11am. Service very slow at a time when the bakery seemed not to be too busy. We waited half an hour for two coffees and cakes. There seemed to be plenty of staff but not much action except for...

This I think is my second visit to Gail’s to sit in and I do find it a little more expensive than other coffee houses in the area. The drinks and cakes which were purchased were enjoyed but the drinks were not as warm as...

We arrived at 11 for coffee and something to eat. 15 minutes later our food and drinks arrived. The coffees were just one stage above cold (to call them luke warm would have been over generous) and the spinach filo pastry was about the same...

Enjoyed a lovely coffee. And cake.loads of wonderful Cakes and bread quite rustic inside You can even see the people baking.

I come here on average 3/4 times a month, i generally have a takeaway, however this review is for having some pastries and coffee. I visited with my wife and 3yr old son. Their coffee is really nice and I pop in regularly just to...

We came for breakfast and our fried eggs were hard. When we send the meals back and the food came back it seemed that they had just redone the eggs (which were good second time round) instead of the whole meal, meaning that the food...

The cookies are delicious and there is a good range of bakery style things. There are quite a few vegetarian options as well as meat, which is good. Overall a nice place.

I picked up a few different pastries for my train journey home. Gail’s has an extensive range with a lot of vegetarian options. Staff were very helpful in pointing these out. Would definitely return to explore the rest of their range that I didn’t have...

Uncovered food at low level. Customer clothes brushing against cakes and bread on low uncovered counter. Money transactions and bags being passed over the uncovered food. Customers eating samples while peering over uncovered cakes and bread. Customers changing cake and bread selections they had handled....

Fazer um café da manhã na Gail's é como parar o tempo para meditar nas coisas mais deliciosas. Vale a...

I ordered smashed avocado on toast and a latte. What arrived was iced coffee and guacamole on very very hard toast. I didn't complain about the iced coffee because it seemed a good idea in the heat. However I know there must be a fine...

I recently moved into the Wanstead area and while walking down Wanstead high street I decided to take a look in Gail’s. You are greeted by a bustling bakery with bread and cakes pilled up around you, I knew I was in the right place....

There's no system of queuing and ordering. Whoever designed the layout of this place should have their architecture degree revoked. They always run out of bread by mid-afternoon, which I guess gives the sense of 'freshness' but whatever. Also, don't sit upstairs if you've ordered...

Great and tasty breakfast with a decent size portion ,fresh bakery every day ,quality bread and pastry .

Took a walk down Wanstead high street and discovered Gail’s . Window chockablock with different types of bread. Very inticing. We were going to have a brunch here but decided against at it looked a little pricey. I’m wheat intolerant so looked to see if...

I’ve been to Gail’s a few times and have always been disappointed. The layout is confusing and the staff always seem to be too busy to actually serve. The decor is uninviting and there is always a faint off putting smell. A shame as their...

Bakery, fresh pastries, warming stuff, relaxed interior, good location on main street, fancy music, bit pricey, but still something i would recommend to visit, because of quality.

Fabulous place lovely tea and cake Is pricey but worth it My mum loved it we are going back for breckfast Saturday

What a lovely place to enjoy a fantastic choice of food ,accompanied by a great music and a friendly staff with an ever present smile on their faces (a lady with a blue hair passes it on to you,even against the crap,British☔️weather 😊👍). I have...

I went to Gail's for the first time and cannot express enough how impressed I am with the staff. Amazingly friendly and polite and nothing was too much trouble. This is how customer service should be and often isn't in London- I should of course...

Was I. Wanstead with my twin babies and daughter in law we was drawn in by the beautiful display of cakes and food and the whole decor and ambiance it is fab , we ordered and 10 minutes later with 2 babies getting restless ,...

Ridiculously over-priced average food. Scrambled eggs on toast were cold, overcooked and one portion had a nice piece of shell in it. Coffee was lukewarm. Precious kids being "expressive" (= loud and badly behaved) whilst parents poured over Facebook. Bought a cheese scone (superb) and...